Applying social science subjects such as psychology, sociology, social policy and research methods to Early Years can help to raise standards and ensure good practice. These subjects inform much of the academic curriculum within many Early Years programmes and are subjects that make an important contribution to understanding children's behaviour, growth and development. The book identifies, analyses and assesses how social science enriches Early Years as opposed to regarding Early Years and social science as distinct. Each chapter imaginatively introduces the main learning objectives and includes formative activities, which apply social science to particular themes to aid students' cognitive skills.